Perfect Poetry Planning!

Dont just name

techniques for no
reason use it to
support analysis
and interpretations
Analyse
key details

Dont bother with

introductions and
conclusions
unless adding
comparison in a
conclusion
Revise the
key ideas in
each poem
to help
comparison

our answer, always consi

T: THEMES
A: ATTITUDES
I: IMAGERY
L: LANGUAGE
S: STRUCTURE & FORM*
*FORM = THE TYPE OF
POEM & THE WAY IT IS
CONSTRUCTED

Note of Caution: Only use the verbs youre familiar with unless you take the
time to examine the definition in the dictionary. This is not a list of
synonyms. Each word has specific uses that are unique to its meaning.
Potentially most useful are in bold.

Active verbs for writing about texts...

Advises
Affects
Alludes to
Argues
Articulates
Builds
Clarifies
Confirms
Connotes
Constructs
Conveys
Creates
Criticises
Demonstrates
Denotes
Depicts
Describes

Six steps to answering the

poetry question
Step 1 read the questions pick the one you want to
answer and underline key words from the question
Step 2 pick out a few points you could make about the
topic of the question in the named poem
Step 3 pick your other poem to compare and think about
ways this poem links to the points youve made about the
first one (could be a similarity or a contrast)
Step 4 underline key quotations from both poems that
you can analyse well and that fit the question
Step 5 write your answer using PEE and making links
wherever you can: ideally 3 paragraphs comparing both
poems in each (start each paragraph with a sentence
linking the poems)
Step 6 read and check over your answer

Showing similarities
is similar to; similarly;
like/likewise; equally; as with;
moreover; in the same way; in a
similar way
For differences
in contrast to; alternatively;
compared with; in comparison
with; is different from; on the
other hand; instead of; however;

Step 1 read the questions pick the one

your want to answer and underline key
words

Step 2 pick out 3+ points you

could make about the relevant
theme/attitude/idea in that poem

Identity in The Clown Punk

1. Identity changes
2. Identity is to do with personal appearance
3. Identity can cause misery

Step 3 pick your other poem to compare, based

on the points youve considered about the first one

Identity =
Checking out me history
Case history Alison
Portrait of a deaf man
The hunchback in the park
Medusa

Continue Step 3 pick out 3 points you

could make about the theme in the
second poem

Identity in the Clown Punk

1. Identity changes
2. Identity is to do with personal appearance
3. Identity can cause misery

Case History: Alison

1. Her past to
present
2. She gained
weight
3. She is trapped
in the present

Step 4 pick out quotations for each of

your paragraphs

3. Identity causes misery

enjambment
1. Identity changes

2. Identity to do with personal appearance

enjambment

Step 5 write your answer:

paragraphs

3 comparative

MAKE A LINK AT THE START OF EACH PARAGRAPH (based on your

plan)
Both poems show [explore theme/attitude/idea from the question].
Or
(Poet A) creates the idea that
, whereas Poet B shows
THEN EXPLORE HOW THE POETS DO THIS IN EACH POEM:
Poet A uses (technique) to show
+include evidence
explain and analyse word/structural choices and their effects
Similarly/conversely, Poet B uses
to
+include evidence
explain and analyse word/structural choices and their effects
You might then briefly sum up your comparison in this paragraph at the end,
or make sure you link back to the first poem when writing about the
second one.
Make sure you name techniques, analyse word choices, and that you can use more
than one piece of evidence for the same point, as long as you analyse each
quote/technique one at a time.

Compare the ways poets present ideas

about identity in The Clown Punk (page 4)
and one other poem from Character and
voice.

Compare the ways poets present isolated

characters in The Hunchback in the Park
(page 18) and one other poem from
Character and voice.

Compare the ways poets present romantic

love in Singh Song (page 9) and one other
poem from Character and voice.

Compare the ways poets present the past

and present in Les Grands Seigneurs (page
13) and one other poem from Character and
voice.

Compare the ways poets present memory in

Casehistory: Alison (head injury) and one
other poem from Character and voice.

Compare how poets use language to explore

ideas and feelings in Checking Out Me
History (page 5) and in one other poem
from Character and voice.

Compare the ways poets present ideas

about power in Ozymandias (page 14) and
in one other poem from Character and
voice.

Compare the ways poets present

powerful characters in My Last
Duchess (page 15) and one other
poem from Character and voice.

Compare the ways poets present strong

emotions in Medusa (page 8) and one
other poem from Character and voice.

Compare the ways poets present male

characters in The River God and one other
poem from Character and voice.

Compare the ways poets present attitudes

to change in The Ruined Maid and one
other poem from Character and voice.

Compare the ways poets present a sense of

fantasy in Brendon Gallacher and one other
poem from Character and voice.

Compare the ways poets present ideas

about rejection in Give and one other poem
from Character and voice.